Salted Caramel Pretzels (from Alice Eats!)

I feel like this a lot. A ginormous blonde girl growing awkwardly and taking altogether too much space in whatever room I happen to be in, all hunched and elbowy, sometimes with a bottle in her hand. (Which may or may not account for said feelings of ginormity.)

We arrived in a very foggy Vancouver tonight to do a little book tour for Alice Eats, which has finally FINALLY arrived, all beautifully printed and bound (in Canada!) and brilliantly illustrated and designed by the fantastically talented Pierre A. Lamielle. If you haven’t heard, it’s the story of Alice in Wonderland in its entirety (think you know it? I did too – it’s a good read) along with recipes inspired by the storyline – plenty of crumpets and scones and jam tarts, but also juicy little homemade jellies, and bacon and egg sandwiches, and sunken chocolate cake with berry fool, and salted caramel dipped pretzel sticks, and really everything that makes an afternoon tea divine. (Tea optional.)

Because our schedule is so spread out, with early morning shows and evening demos, I brought W along for a Vancouver adventure; we’re going to visit the aquarium and go exploring, likely hit a beach and eat a few good things along the way. Vancouver is all too often a pit stop on the way to Tofino, so I’m happy to be hanging out until Friday and doing a few shows in between. And we decided to tweet it all, and post a summary of our days here, sort of a live play by play via social media, if you will. Is that a thing? Let’s say it’s a thing. Stay tuned here, on Twitter and Facebook. Hilarity may ensue.

If you’re watching, I’ll warn you I look like a lopsided chipmunk – dental issues. Going on Monday. Meanwhile I’m puffy – just enough for people to wonder what’s up with my face.

I’ll leave you with some mini caramel-dipped pretzel sticks – like those big ones you get at Starbucks, only teeny enough to nibble. Crunchy-chewy-salty-sweet-ohyes.

HEY! I should give away some copies, yes? (I have more truly awesome stuff for you coming soon, too. Really.) While we’re in Vancouver, leave a comment here and I’ll draw a book a day until Friday!

Alice’s Salted Caramel Teardrops

Pretzel sticks dipped in homemade caramel are a curious combination of sweet, salty, crunchy and chewy. They might make you exclaim something like “Curiouser and curiouser!” and even if that is not proper English you would not be wrong. Excerpted from Alice Eats: A Wonderland Cookbook, by Pierre A. Lamielle and Julie Van Rosendaal (Whitecap)

Makes: Makes about 100 caramel-dipped pretzels.

Ingredients

1/2 cup Roger’s or Lyle’s golden syrup or corn syrup

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. lemon juice

1 cup heavy (whipping) cream

1 Tbsp. butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1 large bag salted pretzel sticks

Directions

1In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the syrup, sugar, salt and lemon juice over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely and the mixture begins to simmer around the edges. At this point stop stirring – you can swirl the pan as the temperature rises.

2Cook uncovered, swirling the pan occasionally, until the mixture reaches 305°F on a candy thermometer. Meanwhile, warm the cream in a small saucepan.

3When the sugar mixture reaches 305°F, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the butter. Gradually stir in the hot cream; it will bubble up and steam, so be careful. It will clump up as some of the carmel solidifies – don’t worry about it. Return the pan to the heat and cook, stirring occasionally at the beginning and then more frequently at the end, for about 15 minutes, or until the mixture is smooth and reaches 260°F on the candy thermometer.

4Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Set it aside for 5 minutes or so, until it thickens to the texture of thick molasses. Dip each pretzel stick a third to halfway deep, swirling to catch drips and coat the end of each pretzel, then set on a parchment-lined baking sheet and let sit until cool. If the caramel thickens to the point where you can’t dip the pretzels anymore, warm it again over low heat. If you like, shape the soft caramel around the end of each pretzel when it cools enough to handle, but is still pliable.

146 comments on “Salted Caramel Pretzels (from Alice Eats!)”

How wonderful that you are coming to our area! I hope the weather is nice for you. I have loved my Spilling the Beans cookbook so much, I’ve used it like crazy. Don’t let the fog scare you off, but you must visit the Stanley Park Ghost train for fun!

Congrats on the book – I am looking forward to getting my hands on it, one way or another Have fun in Vancouver, W would probably love Science World if you have a spare hour or two. Hope to see you sometime soon!

What a brilliant idea for a cookbook! As the auntie of a 6 year old girl who adores her tea parties, I know this book will feature in many of our future menu planning sessions. Looking forward to cooking our way through a magical story.

Your creativity extends well beyond cooking. I only just started following you and have very much enjoyed perusing thru your recipes. I have tried several and while they may not look as pretty as yours do they are very tasty just the same! I am so glad you are here in Vancouver while the weather is so
beautiful. Fall is an excellent time of year to visit. (Yes it is sunny and warm further out in the valley).

I borrowed your cookie book from the local public library. Love it! We’ll be using the biscotti recipes for a cd release that our church is hosting. I’d love to have a copy of the Alice book to give my niece for Christmas.

Julie, I share your sentiments about feeling like a ginormous blonde girl taking up altogether too much space, but then I remind myself that this means there is more room for delicious treats like salted caramel pretzels and all is right with the world again! What an inventive and inspired culinary adventure this book seems to be! I can’t wait to read and try the recipes!

I know how you feel – but with red hair instead These look great – I may have to make them for our halloween party! I can’t wait to see this book & I’m so curious about the ginger carrot sandwiches you mentioned on twitter!!

Is it embarrassing to admit I have never read Alice in Wonderland? I’m pretty sure I have never even seen a movie version of this classic. No, I do not live under a rock:) I like the idea of a cookbook/storybook, and the illustrations look beautiful. Happy travels!

I wish I could come to your show but I’m working. I hope the fog lifts soon where you are – it burned off earlier today in Surrey than it has for more than a week! Sure would love to win your book! I bought my first one of yours (Grazing) after seeing you make (and tasting!) Chickpea Cookies at a show in Vancouver. Yum! It must have been awhile ago ’cause you were pregnant!

Book! Yes, please! I’ve been waiting for this cookbook since you first announced it was in the works. It looks perfect for baking experiments with my nieces. They already love to cook, and are amazing artists and adventurers (in their minds).

Would love to give this book to my daughter (avid reader) who loves ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and your recipes! We try out your recipes all the time and love them. Definitely trying all the recipes in “Swerve’ magazine from ‘Alice Eats’.

There’s just something so magical about quirky little cookbooks…whimsy isn’t often a word that one can apply to the culinary arts. A collaboration between you and Pierre is terrific. Much success! It will surely be a Christmas hit…hope I win a copy so that I can make some of the recipes and also give the book away as my secret exchange present at “Our Secret Bookclub”!

I love your recipes-enjoy reading about all your adventures–such a great webiste
What an awesome book-would love to enjoy it on my coffee table-and for everyone who stops buy-for coffee to pick it up-and read it.
Thanks for bringing great food-to my home
Helena

I love Aclice and wonderland and your cooking, and I can’t wait to get my ands on this book. I hope to win but if not it is going on my Christmas list. Welcome back to Vancouver, I hope the sun stays out for you.

Meanwhile, you had my mouth watering with this recipe which inspired me to make a brittle from gluten-free pretzels, nuts and chocolate. I’ll have to pick up your book as you are an inspiration! Thanks.

I saw Alice eats on global news few days ago, I instantly knew this is going to be a real hit .
Love the illustration of the book and the demonstration live on noon news hour,. It’s a book for kids and mommys to have cookout together.

Please let me know where I can buy a copy of the book, I live in Burnaby , B.C.

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